‘AEW: Dynamite’ Review (Apr 2nd 2025)
Welcome to this week’s review of AEW: Dynamite, which was broadcast from the Peoria Civic Center in Peoria, IL. We’ve got Excalibur, Tony Schiavone, and Taz on commentary, so let’s get into the review!
Match #1: Swerve Strickland & Willow Nightingale def. Jon Moxley & Marina Shafir
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Mox and Swerve brawled while Willow and Marina paired off! All four competitors were going at it. Swerve whipped Mox into the barricade. Moxley winged a chair into Swerve’s face. Marina nailed Willow with a snap suplex. Mox and Marina set up a table. Marina hurled Willow with Judo throws in the ring. Swerve reversed Moxley and sent Mox into the steel ring steps. Swerve executed a beautiful dropkick in the ring. Willow followed up with two boots to Mox’s chest. Swerve connected with a flying European uppercut. Mox stunned Swerve with a cutter out of nowhere. Marina isolated Willow and inflicted punishment in the corner. Willow pounded Marina with strikes, but Marina used a hip lock throw. Marina power bombed Willow off the apron and through the table on the arena floor. Marina and Mox gouged their fingernails into Swerve. Willow came up behind them and power bombed Marina and Mox at the same time! Willow blasted Moxley with a running cannonball! Willow planted Marina with a spinebuster for a near fall! Moxley and Swerve traded strikes in the center of the ring. Moxley brought Swerve down into a rear lock sleeper. Marina held Willow at bay. Willow picked up Marina and power bombed her onto Moxley. Swerve nailed Moxley with a flatliner. Swerve went for the House Call, but Marina pushed Mox out of the way and took the bullet for the champ! Willow power bombed Marina and scored the pinfall victory for her team! Moxley entered the ring and drilled Willow with a DDT!
My Score: 3.5 out of 5
Match #2: Toni Storm def. Penelope Ford
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Storm pounded on Penelope in the corner, showing her frustration. Storm nailed Ford with a back breaker. Storm followed up with a fisherman’s suplex for a near fall. Ford smashed Storm with a double knee drop and then mocked Storm. Ford used her flexibility to take the champion down with a high boot. Penelope used a handspring back elbow and then a pump kick, rocking Storm. Ford went to bite Storm and Storm bit Ford’s tongue. Storm used a body press and then a back drop suplex on the challenger. Storm used the hip attack and then planted Penelope with a DDT, but Ford kick out at the two-count. Penelope moonsaulted off the apron and onto Toni Storm on the arena floor. Ford stunned Storm with a gut buster for a near fall. The champion smashed Ford with the Storm Zero and picked up the 1-2-3!
My Score: 3 out of 5
Match #3: The Learning Tree (Big Bill and Bryan Keith) def. Two Local Jobbers
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Big Bill body slammed one of the competitors over the top rope at the feet of Bobby Lashley. Big Bill grabbed the other wrestler and choke slammed him, scoring a decisive victory!
My Score: 0 out of 5
Match #4: Will Ospreay & Kevin Knight def. Blake Christian & Lee Johnson
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Ospreay saved Knight from a double suplex. Kevin and Will took flight, jumping over the top rope and crashing onto the opposition. Blake speared Will on the apron. Will took to the skies with a double cross body press to Lee and Blake! Ospreay connected with a corkscrew kick to Blake. Lee pulled Ospreay out of the ring and Blake nailed Will with a corkscrew tope, followed by a 450 stomp! Kevin Knight landed a springboard lariat on Lee and pinned him!
My Score: 3.5 out of 5
Match #5: Brody King def. Lance Archer
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Brody and Lance bludgeoned one another with big meaty chops. Archer jumped off the apron with a cannonball onto Brody. Brody sidestepped Archer and charged at him with a running splash against the guardrail. Don Callis distracted Brody long enough for Archer to kick Brody. Archer drove Brody into the steel ring steps. The match was a total slugfest. Brody nailed Archer with a German suplex. Brody used a cross body press and then scoop slammed Archer. Brody sat out with a senton for a near fall on Archer. Archer retaliated with a side walk slam. Archer choke slammed Brody King but Brody kicked out at the two-count. Brody rallied back with a running cannonball. Brody swung for the fences with a lariat and pinned Archer!
My Score: 3 out of 5
Match #6: Cope def. Claudio Castagnoli
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Claudio charged Cope in the corner, landing an early shot. Claudio stomped on Cope, continuing the assault. Claudio whipped Cope into the barricade. Now it was Cope on the attack. Cope hammered Claudio with forearm shots. Cope clobbered him with a short arm lariat. Cope speared Claudio through the ropes and to the arena floor. Cope went for a tope, but Claudio countered with a European uppercut. Cope fired back with a diving bulldog off the top turnbuckle. Claudio poked Cope in the eyes and then hit him with a double stomp. Claudio but Cope in the Giant Swing. Cope spiked Claudio with the Impaler but Claudio kicked out at the two-count! Claudio locked on a sharp shooter! Claudio transitioned to the cross face. Cope escaped and applied the Grindhouse. Claudio reached the ropes to break the hold. Claudio powerslammed Cope on the apron and then through Cope over the barricade. Cope made it back to the ring. Cope booted Claudio in the jaw. Cope went for a spear, but Claudio caught him with an uppercut and then the Neutralizer for a near fall! Claudio grabbed two steel chairs and was looking to set up Cope for the con-chair-to. As the ref pulled one of the chairs away, Cope hit Claudio with a low blow. The ref never saw it! Cope speared Claudio and earned the hard fought victory!
My Score: 3 out of 5
Final Verdict: 3.5/5
This week’s episode of AEW Dynamite was a solid go-home show leading into Dynasty, delivering intense action and key storyline developments. The night kicked off with a Mixed Tornado Tag Match featuring Swerve Strickland and Willow Nightingale against Jon Moxley and Marina Shafir. While Swerve and Willow picked up the win, Moxley made a statement post-match by attacking Willow, escalating tensions before his title defence.
Elsewhere, Toni Storm picked up a victory over Penelope Ford, while Will Ospreay and Kevin Knight teamed up for a tag team win, showcasing their chemistry ahead of their upcoming clash in the Owen Hart Tournament. Adam Copeland battled Claudio Castagnoli in a competitive main event, securing a hard-fought victory. However, the night ended on a brutal note when Moxley’s Death Riders faction targeted Swerve, delivering a vicious attack involving broken glass to send a chilling message before their pay-per-view showdown.
Backstage segments added further intrigue, with Dax Harwood apologizing to his tag team partner Cash Wheeler and referee Paul Turner, signalling a possible reconciliation. Meanwhile, MJF attempted to form an alliance with the Hurt Syndicate, but Bobby Lashley turned him down, leaving MJF in an uncertain position heading into Dynasty.
While some moments felt a bit chaotic, especially in the opening match, the episode successfully built anticipation for the upcoming event. The show effectively balanced in-ring action with storytelling, and I’m intrigued to see how everything unfolds at Dynasty.
